Sobering Imagination: Trying to see it from God’s perspective

When we finished school and began looking for open doors, we were expecting God to do something at any moment. It was intimidating but exciting to search the web for open jobs. We talked often of what positions would be a good fit for my husband and how they would affect me and the kids. We pounced on our emails several times a day and had the sense every time the phone rang that this could be “the one.” Hubby organized the garage and got rid of extra stuff. I did the same in the closets. We wanted to do whatever we could to prepare for what was coming. We might be called on to move at any time—or maybe just become very busy with the new job or ministry.

Here I am several weeks later, moping and pouting that God is taking such a long time. My initial expectation and motivation has been replaced by a temptation to find activities that distract me from thinking about the future at all. The to do list has had the same few things checked off for the past three weeks. What would I say if God fired a few simple questions at me?

Would you be ready to move if I asked you?

Have you ordered your household in such a way that you could cheerfully sacrifice significant amounts of your time or your husband’s time?

Have you been intentional about preparing yourself spiritually and emotionally to be a strong partner and support no matter what comes?

Are you handling your current circumstances with trust and maturity?

At best, I would have to answer “Not really” to all of the above. And yet I plead in my heart, “Hurry up, God! Don’t you see me?” I wonder how that strikes Him. I’m not suggesting that my lack of expectation and readiness is staying God’s hand, but I’m certain He notices.

Our situation really hasn’t changed—except for having to reckon with the fact that God didn’t respect our imaginary deadlines. My skewed perspective has been allowing me to feel insulted that God hasn’t shown us our next assignment while I do next to nothing to be ready for it.

We can’t, of course, be completely accurate, but don’t you think it might be useful to try to imagine what our behavior looks like from God’s perspective now and again? Anyone else have an “ouch” moment like this to share?

2 thoughts on “Sobering Imagination: Trying to see it from God’s perspective”

I’m sure that trying to imagine our behavior from God’s perspective is valuable as long as we don’t forget that he is loving and filled with grace and we are human and dreadfully impatient. He has told me more than once that His timing is what is good for me- no matter what I think! He gets the big picture, we don’t. He knows what He is preparing and what isn’t finished yet, we don’t. And the major time altering thing
(I believe) is that He chooses to work through his people and they keep messing things up! Somehow He manages to provide for us until all His ducks are in a row and His will is made known. And yes I believe He is soverieign and he can and does exert his sovereign will whenever He chooses (hence miracles etc.), but I also believe he still chooses to work through flawed humanity. It’s relationship that matters to Him not reaching goals (tha’ts so American!). In a nutshell, we all end up squirming at times and somtimes we know what the hold-up was and sometimes we don’t. Here’s an example: My friend Sandi was dying of cancer. She passionately loved Jesus and desperately wanted to go be with Him. She was suffering and asking the “Why not yet” question over and over. From the outside I could tell that her son, who was a Christian, was not ready to let her go yet. I told her that I believed that was what was happening so she became patient in her suffering (God obviously was present with her!). Her son finally couldn’t bear her suffering any longer and commited her to the Lord and she died almost immediately – on Easter! Praise the Lord! Sandy was with Jesus and her son was at peace. God has the welfare of all his people at heart and sometimes we need to suffer for the sake of others.

Thanks for sharing, Lana. I’ve definitely been guilty of being impatient and trying to take the steering wheel and force things to go a little faster. It’s easy to forget that I’m not the only player on the field sometimes. There are an unimaginable number of variables God is interacting with at any given time. I think I am more concerned about how my attitudes and actions in the midst of the waiting seem to Him. He is a relational God and has opened Himself up to be affected by me. That is one of the most wonderous things about God, and one of the most sobering. That is the nature of love, and He does it better than anyone else!

A rough draft on life and theology

Jesse & Crystal

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Views and opinions expressed in posts on this site are solely those of Crystal Rodli and do not necessarily represent those of the the church she attends or any other organizations or individuals she may be affiliated with.